Amusement apparatus



Filed Jan. 10, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet l l mw;

Feb 22, 1938.

J. N. BARTLETT 2,109,041 AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Fil ed Jan. 10, 1955 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FeblZZ, 193. J. N. BARTLETT AMUSEMENT APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 10, 1935 Patented Feb. 22, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFECE AMUSEMENT AEPARATUS John N. Bartiett, Tonawanda, N. Y.

Application January 10, 1935, Serial No. 1,185

6 Claims.

This invention relates to an amusement apparatus of the vehicle type designed for use in amusement parks, fair grounds and the like.

One of its objects is the provision of a novel and entertaining amusement ride which is so designed as to combine the sensation of speed of motion with the thrill of riding in a laterallyinclined or vertical plane about a circuitous trackway.

Another object of the invention is to provide an amusement ride having a novel arrangement of a revolving trackway and passenger-controlled vehicles.

Other features of the invention reside in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a central vertical section of the amusement ride embodying my invention. Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view thereof, partly in section. Figure 3 is a sectional side elevation of one of the passenger cars used in conjunction with the ride. Figure 4 is a horizontal section on line 44, Figure 3. Figure 5 is a perspective View, partly diagrammatic, show ing the steering mechanism of each car.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

In its general organization this amusement ride or apparatus comprises a revolvable substantially circular enclosure or laterally inclined trackway iii, and a plurality of individual motor-driven passenger carriers or vehicles II which are adapted to traverse the trackway under the control of the passengers and to ultimately assume a position on the trackway at substantially right angles to the vertical.

Referring now to the drawings, the trackway is substantially bowl-shaped, having a flat or horizontal central portion l2 Where the cars are normally stationed when at rest for the loading and unloading of passengers; a banked or laterally inclined portion !3, and a vertical portion t l which is preferably arcuately recessed or concave in cross section and wherein the cars are ultimately guided for traversing the same in a position at substantially right angles to the vertical. In its sides the trackway has one or more door openings normally closed by doors H) for the ingress and egress of passengers to and from the trackway or motordrome, these doors being flush with the trackway when closed.

The bowl-shaped trackway ID is supported to revolve about a vertical axis and to this end its bottom is provided with a plurality of radial sweeps or supports l6 and extending centrally through the trackway is a vertical bearing post ll. Applied to the latter is a step bearing 18 upon which the sweep-frame of the trackway is supported. Extending about the bearing post is a plurality of concentrically arranged track-rails i9 and applied to the bottom side of the sweeps it are Wheels 20 which engage the rails. The outermost set of wheels is flanged, as indicated at 2|, to engage the inner edges of the corresponding rail.

Any suitable means may be employed for imparting rotary motion to the trackway or motordrome, that shown in the drawings being suitable and consisting of a motor unit 22 connected by a belt or like drive 23 with a driven shaft 24 which is in turn connected by bevel gears 25 with a vertical shaft 26 having a drive pulley 2'! thereon. Disposed in adjoining relation tothe latter is a second pulley 28. The numeral 29 indicates a drive cable or belt which engages guide elements it applied to the outer ends of the sweeps IE3 and which is looped about the pulleys 27, 28 to transmit rotary motion to the trackway. Applied to the pulley shaft 26 is a brake 3! which is adapted to be controlled from the center of the trackway by a control lever 32, an operator or attendant being stationed centrally of the trackway for this purpose. Also a lever 33 is located adjacent the lever 32 and is adapted for operative connection to the throttle of the motor unit 22. If desired, the motor unit may be provided with an automatic centrifugal clutch, (not shown), which may be of any suitable and. well known construction.

Each of the vehicles H is self-propelled and controlled by its passenger, being provided with a propelling unit which may be in the form of a gasoline engine or like motor 3i including a suitable automatic clutch 35 of well known construction, and drive connections to a rear drive or traction wheel 36 disposed substantially centrally at the rear end of the vehicle. These drive connections may consist of a chain and sprocket drive 37 associated with the automatic clutch and a propeller shaft 38 connected by earing 39 with the drive wheel. The throttle of the motor is controlled by the passenger through the medium of a foot pedal 5B. The clutch 35 of each motor may be of the automatic centrifugal type so that when the motor is idling the clutch is self-releasing and when the throttle is open to speed up the motor the clutch is automatically engaged to drive the connections 31, 38 to propel the vehicle.

Each of the vehicles II is also provided with passenger-controlled means for guiding and steering the vehicle about the trackway, such steering means being designed to permit the normal guidance of the vehicle in its proper course, but when not steered manually the vehicle will seek a, course determined by gravity and centrifugal force. To this end the front end of each vehicle is provided with steering or caster wheels 4| applied to swivel supports 42, the latter including cable guides or pulleys 43 which are peratively connected by the cable 44 with the steering rod or column 45 of the vehicle. These steering connections are shown diagrammatically in Figure 5, it being noted that the cable is suitably fixed or clamped to the pulleys 43 and is directed in its course to the steering column pulley 45 over guide pulleys 46. Springs 47 are interposed in the cable to prevent the passenger steering his car too far off a normal course and in effect limit his control of the car to the end that maximum safety is afforded. Those portions of the cable adjoining the steering column pulley 45 are provided with stops 43 which are adapted to engage companion abutments 48 for limiting the steering of the vehicle to the right or to the left. Springs 49 connected to the swivel supports 42 of the caster wheels serve to maintain the latter in a straight course and yieldingly resist their steering movement out of a straight course.

Extending around the upper end of the motordroine or trackway lil is a spectators platform or gallery i! having a stairway 5| leading thereto.

I claim as my invention:

1. An amusement apparatus; comprising a revolvable, substantially circular trackway including a horizontal central section and an inclined outer section, individual, motor-driven passenger carriers adapted to freely traverse said trackway in the direction of its rotation, steering caster Wheels mounted on each carrier, yieldable means tending constantly to urge said wheels to a position to steer the carrier in a straight course, and passenger-controlled steering means operatively connected to said caster wheels.

2. An amusement apparatus, comprising a revolvable, substantially circular trackway including a horizontal central section and an inclined outer section, individual, motor-driven passenger carriers adapted to traverse said trackway in the direction of its rotation, steering caster wheels mounted on each carrier and including swivel supports each having a pulley axially of its pivot, and passenger-controlled steering means including a flexible connection engaging said pulleys.

3. An amusement apparatus, comprising a revolvable, substantially circular trackway, including a central section for loading and unloading passengers and an outer inclined riding section, individual, motor-driven passenger carriers adapted to traverse said trackway in the direction of its rotation, steering caster wheels mounted on each carrier and including swivel supports each having a pulley axially of its pivot, passenger-controlled steering means including a flexible connection engaging said pulleys, and means connected to said swivel supports for yieldingly resisting their movement out of a straightsteering position.

4. An amusement apparatus having a revolvable trackway comprising a substantially horizontal flat central portion and a banked surrounding portion, motor-driven, passengersteered carriers adapted to travel over said trackway in the same direction of rotation as the trackway, the centrifugal force created by the revolving trackway enabling the carriers to run safely at slow speeds over its banked portion.

5. An amusement apparatus having, in combination, individual motor driven passenger carriers, a revolvable trackway comprising a substantially horizontal flat central portion and a banked surrounding portion such that centrifugal force is created to enable the passenger carriers to freely traverse said trackway, in the same direction of rotation as the trackway, the centrifugal force created by the revolving structure enabling the carriers to run safely at slow speeds over the banked portion of said trackway and to rise up such banking as the speed of the carriers increases, and mechanism controlled by the passengers for steering said passenger carriers, said steering mechanism being responsive to the resultant gravity and centrifugal forces acting to guide the vehicle in a safe course of travel.

6. An amusement apparatus having, in combination, individual motor driven passenger carriers, a revolvable trackway comprising a substantially horizontal flat central portion and a banked surrounding portion such that centrifugal force is created to enable the passenger carriers to freely traverse said trackway, in the same direction of rotation as the trackway, the centrifugal force created by the revolving structure enabling the carriers to run safely at slow speeds over the banked portion of said trackway, and mechanism controlled by the passenger for steering said passenger carriers, each of said carriers having a single centrally-disposed rear driving wheel and two front steering wheels, the motor being mounted on the passenger carrier between said front and rear wheels.

JOHN N. BARTLETT. 

